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Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device

a technology of exposure apparatus and production device, applied in the field of exposure apparatus, can solve the problems of cap member, inconvenient or difficult exposure, and exposure accuracy deterioration, and achieve the effect of efficiently and satisfactorily exposed

Inactive Publication Date: 2008-07-03
NIKON CORP
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides an exposure apparatus and method for efficiently and satisfactorily exposing a substrate in a liquid immersion method. The invention addresses the problem of decreased throughput and potential inconvenience or problem of causing any adhesion trace (water mark) on the light-exit surface of the projection optical system when using a cap member to always keep the surface wet. The invention proposes various techniques to solve this problem, such as providing a measuring member with an inclined surface for position measurement, providing a detector, and using a transmitting plate or a method for exposing the substrate by measuring its position and exposing it. These techniques enable the substrate to be always wetted with the liquid, leading to improved exposure accuracy and stability. The invention is useful for both multi-stage and single-stage exposure apparatuses.

Problems solved by technology

When all of the liquid is recovered, and the state of a light-exit surface of the projection optical system is changed from the wet state to the dry state, then due to the vaporization of the liquid, the adhesion trace (water mark) of the liquid is formed on the light-exit surface of the projection optical system in some cases, and the temperature change occurs in other cases, thereby leading to a possibility such that the exposure accuracy is deteriorated.
In the multi-stage type exposure apparatus, when it is intended to always wet the light-exit surface of the projection optical system with the liquid by retaining or holding a cap member (shutter member) so that the cap member (shutter member) is opposite to or facing the light-exit surface of the projection optical system as in the conventional technique, it is undeniable that the possibility is present to cause any inconvenience or problem including, for example, the falling of the cap member, the leakage of the liquid on the cap member and the like.
Further, there is such a possibility that the throughput of the exposure apparatus is lowered due to a delivery operation between the substrate stage and the cap member.

Method used

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  • Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device
  • Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device
  • Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device

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first embodiment

[0045]A first embodiment will be explained. FIG. 1 is a schematic arrangement view of an exposure apparatus EX according to the first embodiment. In this embodiment, an explanation will be made as exemplified by a case in which the exposure apparatus EX is an exposure apparatus of the multi-stage type (twin-stage type) provided with a plurality of (two) substrate stages 1, 2 each of which is movable while holding a substrate P as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-163099, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 10-214783 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,590,634), Published Japanese Translation of PCT International Publication for Patent Application Nos. 2000-505958 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,441) and 2000-511704 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,246), Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 2000-323404 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 6,674,510) and 2000-505958 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,081), Published Japanese Tra...

second embodiment

[0180]Next, a second embodiment will be explained. In the following description, the constitutive parts or components, which are same as or equivalent to those of the first embodiment described above, are designated by the same reference numeral, and any explanation thereof will be simplified or omitted.

[0181]FIG. 15 is a perspective view of first and second substrate tables 12, 22 according to the second embodiment. In the first embodiment described above, the transmitting member 81 is formed so that the transmitting member 81 has the lower surface opposite to the substantially entire region of the reflecting surface 1Sz of the measuring mirror 1Rz arranged on the side surface on the −X side of the first substrate table 12, in other words, the transmitting member 81 has an approximately same size (length) as that of the measuring mirror 2Rz in relation to the Y axis direction. However, as shown in FIG. 15, the transmitting member 81 may be formed so that the transmitting member 81 ...

third embodiment

[0190]Next, a third embodiment will be explained. In the following description, the constitutive parts or components, which are same as or equivalent to those of the embodiment described above, are designated by the same reference numeral, and any explanation thereof will be simplified or omitted.

[0191]FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a first substrate table 12 according to the third embodiment. In the first embodiment described above, one piece of the transmitting member 81 is arranged to be opposite to the measuring mirror 1Rz arranged on the side surface on the −X side of the first substrate table 12. However, as shown in FIG. 16, four pieces of the transmitting member 81 may be arranged to be opposite to the measuring mirrors 1Rz arranged on the four side surfaces of the first substrate table 12 respectively. Similarly, four transmitting members 82 may be also provided for the second substrate table 22.

[0192]Accordingly, when the change is made from one to the other of the state...

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Abstract

An exposure apparatus includes a first optical member via which an exposure beam exits; a first movable body which is movable on a light-exit side of the first optical member; a measuring member which is provided on the first movable body and which has an inclined surface to which a measuring beam for position measurement is irradiated; and a transmitting member which is provided on the first movable body, which has an end surface protruding more outwardly than the measuring member, and which has a transmitting area through which the measuring beam is transmissive. When the liquid immersion method is applied to the exposure apparatus, the substrate can be exposed efficiently and satisfactorily.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-309168 filed on Nov. 15, 2006 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 959,925 filed on Jul. 18, 2007, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate, an exposure method, and a method for producing a device.BACKGROUND ART[0003]In relation to the exposure apparatus usable in the photolithography process, a liquid immersion exposure apparatus is known, which exposes the substrate through a liquid as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 2004-289126 and 2004-289128. On the other hand, a multi-stage type (twin-stage type) exposure apparatus is known, which is provided with a plurality of substrate stages holding the substrates as disclosed in Published Japanese Translation of PCT International Publication for Patent ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G03B27/42
CPCG03B27/42G03F7/70775G03F7/70733G03F7/70341G03F7/70716G03F7/70725
Inventor KIUCHI, TOHRU
Owner NIKON CORP